Soft mobility to be developed
While in the city of Ostrava, the main source of pollution is industrial activity, in the capital it's car traffic that's to blame. Legal limits are regularly exceeded. The Czech Republic's main freeway runs through the center of Prague, creating huge traffic jams every day. Former mayor Zdeněk Hřib has decided to tackle the problem of pollution caused by car traffic: to remedy the situation, he has pledged to complete the fourth metro line. He also intends to complete the freeway around Prague and build a new inner ring road, as well as a train line to the airport. The introduction of a toll system for car access to the city center is also under consideration. In the meantime, the condition of vehicles is being checked more frequently. Praguans are now aware of this issue, and public transport is free during pollution peaks.
Here, cycling is seen as a leisure activity. Only 2% of residents use it as a means of transport. It has to be said that the infrastructure is in need of improvement. The city has embarked on a 1,000 km network of cycle paths called A1-A499. Today, however, only a third of this network exists. The two main routes are the A1 and the A2, along the Vltava. There is no public bike-sharing service, but several private operators have set up shop, the best-known of which is Rekola.
Parks and swimming spots
Parks and forests occupy more than 10% of Prague's area, making it a green city. Some of them are particularly large, such as the Stromovka park, a huge area of 95 ha. It's easy to pick fruit in Prague. There are about sixty orchards in the city, especially on Petrin Hill and in the Vojanovy Sady Park. As for wildlife, the city of a thousand towers and a thousand steeples is full of habitats suitable for bats. They are protected by the NGO CESON (Czech Bat Conservation Trust) which lists their habitat and treats those who are injured
The Vltava River is clean and you can even swim in a place called "The Yellow Baths" on the right bank near the centre. Following flooding in 2013, barriers were erected along the river to protect the historic centre. Another bathing place, in the outskirts, on the banks of the river Berounka, the Biotop Radotín is an artificial water reserve where the water is treated without chemicals, using stones and plants.
Goal: one million trees
The city of Prague is committed to reducing itsCO2 emissions by 45% by 2030. To achieve this, the municipality is counting on improved public transport, but also on an ambitious objective: to plant one million trees in eight years. It plans to line the avenues with trees, as is the practice in most major European cities, to make these spaces more breathable.
New organic habits
It will not escape you that the typical Czech plate is generally rich in fat and meat. However, in Prague, as in many large cities, "good eating" is becoming a way of life. This is evidenced by the appearance in recent years of farmers' markets offering local and organic products. One of the best known is the Náplavka farmers' market, which takes place every Saturday along the banks of the Vltava River. It offers fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, flowers and baked goods. Another popular farmer's market is Jiřák's from Wednesday to Saturday. In addition to the classic stalls, you can also find handicrafts here
Pragians sort out and collectors for glass, paper, plastic and cardboard are set up in buildings and on the streets of the capital. There are also a few biowaste collection points where residents can drop off their vegetable waste and get compost. Composters can be found in some parks, but also in the few shared gardens of the city. One of the oldest is the Prazelenina garden in the Holešovice district. This place is open to the public from April to October. Here you can enjoy a beer and cultural events. Little by little, ecology is taking hold.
